Mechanism for closing the open tubular end of the wrapper of a package



- C. ARELT MECHANISM FOR CLOSING THE OPEN TUBULAR END OF THE WRAPPER OF A PACKAGE 4 Sheets-Sheet l Jung 19,

Original Filed Feb. 20, 1940 [NI/[N706 CHARLES ARELT June 19, 1945. C. ARELT MECHANISM FOR CLOSING THE OPEN TUBULAR END OF THE WRAPPER OF A PACKAGE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Feb; 20, 1940 [AWE/V706. CHARLES ARELT Qw N www ww ww 1 I l l I, .Lllll mww www Q QN.

C. ARELT MECHANISM FOR CLOSING THE OPEN TUBULAR June' l9, 1945.

END OF THE WRAPPER OF A PACKAGE Ongmal Flled Feb. 20, 1940 fivmvroz. CHARLES ARELT June 19, 1945. c. ARELT MECHANISM FOR CLOSING THE OPEN TU BULAR END OF THE WRAPPER OF A PACKAGE Original Filed Feb. 20, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 PIC-3.10

, irw s/vroz. CHARLES ARELT Patented June. l9, 19 45 MECHANISM FOR cLosr-Nd THE TUBULAR END on THE PACKAGE v OrEN WRAPPER OF A" "chant-s ArelflRichmond Hill, N. 15., assignor to American Machine & Foundry Company, a corporation oi? New Jersey Original application February 2 1940, Serial N6. 319,864. Divided an'd this application June 17; 1943 S erial No. 491,122 v L I I a '13 Claims.

invention relates to improvementsin-wrapper or package end closing mechanism for packaging machines, especiallymachines for the'packr' aging offcigarettes and constitutes a division of my co-pending application, S. N. 319,864,? filed- February 20;1940.

to provide fl'apswhich may Ibefolded' over both- The invention particularly relates to packaging I machines of-the kind disclosed in the patent to W. B. Bronander No. 1,926,192,.issued Sept. 12,

1933, in which the wrappers are folded about travelingmandrels, mounted for example on a rotary turret, to form containers .closed at one fend and open at thegother end; into whichthe cigarettesor; the like {are inserted while stillion the mandrels, the containers withthe cigarettes or the like therein being Iejectedfromthe man drels and the open ends of the, containers .then being closed to complete the packa es.

The invention consists in a mechanism for closing theopen tubular end of ythe wrapper of -a package, includinga pair of; members between which the packageis positioned with the .end of the. package against which the wrapper flapsare to be folded lying in'the same. plane as the ends of said members, anda; pair of foldersrotatable about axes coinciding with; the inner corners of theends of [said members and havin -.folding faces extending radially from'said axes to engage and fold down opposite flaps of, the wrapper. t

The invention also comprises amechanism for closing the .open'tubular'end of the wrapper of a package including a pocket into which .the

package is inserted and held during'the folding of the wrapper.flaps, -.and said pocket includes a third member adapted to'coact'with one side of the packa'gemovable to-meet the package} as it ,isadVance'd toward the pocket and then movable with :the package as it is being inserted in said pocket'to ensure the properlocatlonthereof with I respect to said folders. i f r e I "The invention further comprises wmechariism for closing the open tubular end of the wrapper of a package wherein the rotatablefolders after folding said opposite-flaps are returned to inoperativeiposition to permit movement'of a paster .over the endofthe packageinto engagement with the inner face of the outer side flap of the wrapper to apply paste thereto. and-said movable member engages with the other face of said flap to support thesame, and'preferably also the adjoining corner of the package, duringthe application of the paste to said flap. j

package ends. ,Thus pouch packages may be formed and ejected from the mandrels, or the label sheet may project'sufficiently beyond the inner end of thepackage in the mandrel to permit said end .tobe closedfollowing ejection. Al- 'ternatively the paster for, applying adhesive to the inner face of the'outer flap on said inner package end may beused or dispensed with depending upon which typeof package is desired.

"With these and other objects not specifically mentioned in view the invention consists in certain constructions and combinations hereinafter .fully described and then specifically set .forth in' the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a 7 part of this specification and in which like char- Fig. 3 anend acters of reference indicate the same For. like Parts: Fig. 1 is aside elevation of the folderand tuck er units and their operating mechanism;

Fig. 2 isaplan view of th'e same;

,elevation of tucker units, takenl'onil'in'e 3-3 of Fig. 1; I 'Fig. .4 is a partial end elevation taken on line 4 4 ofFig. 9; Fig.v 5 to 10 inclusive are views illustrating the successive stages of the operation of the tucking I and foldingdevicesfand, 1;

Fig. 1111s a detail viewof the paster' nojzzlesl The mechanism for closing the opentubular end of :thepackag may c'onsist of tucker and folder 7 mechanisms supported by a :pedestal 2 I 5. To the latter aremounted two pairs of hgul'de bars 2l6 and 2t]. Bars/2N support a slidable guide p1ate 2l8 while bars 2" support a slida-ble guide plate 219 vGuide plate H8 is reciprocated byfa bell crank lever 220 connected to saidplate by a link 22!. Lever 220 isloosely mounted on a shaft 222 and is operated by a connecting rod 223 which is connected to a cam lever'(not showniactuated Still another'object. is to provide a package wherein both ends thereof are'closed. and to this end a label of suflicient length may be employed reciprocating plunger 229 by a cam (-not, shown) of thelmal'n drive of the packing machine. YShaft 222 is supported. by a bearing ofothe pedestal 2i5. .To guideplate 2l 8 is secured a. pusher bracket 224 equipped, wlthra lower pusher plate 225 and an upper pusher plate 226. The latter is employed for: the purpose of pushing. the defective packagesin between the upper delivery rails 22! and 228 after said packages havebeehelevated by means of a vertically through'a link 230 by suitable actuating mechanism of a detector. mechanism such as'disclosed in patent to G. H. Little, 2,008,870, July 23, 19 35. Lower plate 225'is employed to push the packthe folder and i (Fig. 11) operated 7 ages delivered from the mandrel A at the ejecting station of the turret of a cigarette packaging machine such as shown in Patent No. 1,926,192, into the delivery chute which consists of a pair of side guide rails 23! and 232 and a bottom guide plate 233 supported by a lug 234 of a bracket 235 (Fig. 1). Guide plate 2!9, through a link 236, is reciprocated by a bell crank lever 231 also loosely mounted on shaft 222. Lever 231, through a connecting rod 238, is operated by a suitable cam lever and cam (not shown) from the main drive of the machine. Upon the reciprocating guide plate 2!!! is mounted a folder plate 239 employed for the purpose of folding over one broad flap of the package after the initial folds are completed by a pair of swinging tuckers 240.

Each of the latter is adjustably attached to one of a pair of extension bars 24! which forms part of an oscillating shaft 242 each of which is 'supported by a bearing bracket 243 adjustably fastened to pedestal 2!5. To the end of each shaft 242 is adjustably mounted a hub 244 to each of which is adjustably attached a gear sector 245, both sectors meshing with each other when their centers coincide with the centers of shafts 242. The gear sectors 245 may be adjusted a small distance radially toward each other on their shafts after the latter have been'adjusted away from each other a corresponding distance. Following such adjustment the radial distance from the shaft centers to the gear teeth at the middle portions of the segments will be slightly less than the radial distance to the gear teeth at the ends of the segments, because the gear sectors are not concentric with the shaft centers but have a greater pitch diameter, but this will not interfere with their meshing. The meshing teeth will have minimum clearance at the beginning and end of each working stroke even if the tuckers 24!! and shafts 242 have been adjusted as described, thus giving the tuckers a definite location and assuring a sharp fold, as all free play is eliminated at these portions of the working stroke. One of the hubs 244 is provided with a lug 246 whichcarries a stud 241 to which is pivoted a connectingrod 248 at tached to a suitable cam lever actuated by a cam (not shown) which imparts oscillating motion to the gear sectors 245.

To pedestal 2 is also secured a bridge bracket 249 to which is fastened a pair of guide bars 258 supporting a reciprocating guide plate 25! which,

through a link 252, is operated by an oscillating lever 253 mounted on a shaft 254 (Figs. 1 and 3) supported by a suitable bearing bracket 255 (Fig.

3). To shaft 254 is secured a cam lever'256 which is operated by means of a suitable cam (not shown) from the main drive of the packaging machine. To the reciprocating guide plate 25! is adjustably fastened a paste distributing chamber 251 to which are attached a suitable number of paste nozzles 258 havingtheir orifices normally closed by check valves 29!] whose valve heads protrude sufficiently therefrom to be unseated and thereby permit escape of adhesive upon contact of the valveheads with the inner face of the remaining outstanding broad flap. Thus adhesive may be-applied to said flap for sealing the same, and when no package is in the range of action of said nozzles no adhesive will be delivered. The distribution chamber 251 is provided with a tubular neck 259 to which is attached a hose 26!! (Figs. 1 and 3) connected with a suitable paste reservoir (not shown). The stems of the valves 29!) are provided with collars 29! which guide the valves in their orifices and are suitably cut away to resemble a cross and permit passage of the adhesive. The valves are urged against their seats by compression springs 292 abutting the inner collars of the valve stems and seated upon pins 293 in the base of the distribution chamber.

The packagesare completed with the exception of the top end folds, on mandrels or arbors on the turret of a cigarette packaging machine such as described in the above mentioned Patent 1,926,192 to W. B, Bronander. The completed packages P with the top end still open are ejected from the arbor A at the ejecting station of the turret and are pushed in a'horizonal position between bottom and top guide plates 26! and 262, respectively, of the tucking and folding unit. A stationary and a horizontally reciprocating side guide plate 263 and 264, respectively, are provided to secure the straight entry of the package between plates 26! and 262in the proper location for the tucking and folding operations. Plates 263 and 264 also serve the purpose of giving additional support to the top end edges of the package on which the tucking and folding mechanisms operate. The bottom plate 26! is secured to the top of the bracket 235 and the top plate 262 is fastened to an adjustably abutment 265 arranged to engage the entering end of the package when the same is properly located, and mounted on supporting lug 266 which is held in place on top of guide bar 261 adjustably fastened to plate 26!. Lug 266 is removably secured to bar 261 by a thumb screw 268 and a guide pin 269 (Figs. 2 and 3), the latter being held by bar 261 and engaging with a slot 218 (Fig. 2) in the base of lug 266. Thumb screw 268 is supported by a forked lug 21! pivoted to bar 261.

The stationary side guide plate 263 is secured to :3, lug 212 of supporting bracket 235 (Fig. 1) and is provided with a suitable opening 213 to permit the passage therethrough of the paste nozzles 258 and. the folder plate 239. The horizontally reciprocating side guide plate 264 extends vertically from its longitudinal base plate 264a which is secured to a horizontal slide 214 guided by a channel in bracket 235, bottom plate 26! and a plate 215 (Figs. 1 and 3). The latter is fastened to bracket 235. 'The slide 214 is provided with rack teeth 216 (Figs. 1 and 3) which engage with a gear sector 211 adjustably mounted on an oscillating shaft 218 supported by bearings of the bracket 235. Shaft 218 is actuated by a cam lever 219 (Fig. 1) carrying a roller 28!] engaging with a cam track 28! of a cam 282 operated from the main drive of the machine. As the package P is ejected from the arbor A, side guide plate 264 moves in the direction towards the arbor, meets saidpackage and then travels with the same, stopping in a position illustrated in Fig. 1 while the package is pushed in between bottomand top plate 26! and 262 respectively, until the bottom end of the package'reaches the abutment 265. The top end E of the package is still open and the tuckers 240 swing in the direction of the arrows indicated in Fig. 6 and tuck the narrow flaps of the projecting tubular wrapper portion, as illustrated in Figs. 6 and '7. An important feature of this tucking operation is that plate 26! as well as plate 262 stay in contact with its corresponding tucker 24! at a point 26 la and 262a respectively, each point being the center point of the corresponding shafts 242 which operate said tuckers. As points 26la and 262a are at the ends of their corresponding guide plates, said tuckers do not touch the side of the package and do not use the contents of the package for shaping the corner for the tucked ends. Therefore no injury of the emeans for moving one of said members in a dicontents can occur and the density of the same does-not affect the folding operation. This unique construction assures that the tucker fold is laid over instead of pushed over, and the contents are riotused for a support of the fold, thereby eliminating any injury to the wrapping material and to the contents of the package itself. ,Another great advantage of this unique tucking arrangement-lies in the fact that the machine can be o erated eta much higher "speed than possime heretofore withbrdinary tucker arrangements.

Y I Afterfthe tucking operation is completed the tuckers 240'return to" theirioriginal position andthe' folder plate239 advances'in' the used heretofore;

'7 direction or the arrow, indicated in Fig. 8,- and nozzles return immediately'to their original posi-- It'also' permits the use are much larger-variety of wrapping material than with tucking methods tion. During said paste applying and foldin operation, plate 264 serves to support and prevent shiftin'g of either the package or said outer flapfrom their original position, thus assuring a uniform fold as well as a uniformapplicationof paste to the end flap of-the package;- l

7 During the return motion of folder'plate 239, guide plate 26 4 m'oves again towards'the-arbor A in the direction indicated by an arrow-in Fig..10

' a and stops when its' halfrounded side edge 2642) is aligned'with thepackage guide 232. Pusher plate 225, which up to this moment servedras a guide and support of the package during the tucking and folding operation, then. advances and pushes saidpackage' into the packagetidelivery chute formed by guide rails 23-! and 232 and hotend flap G- passes'under the half-roundedxside ing a wrapper enclosing the girth and end there- 7 of,'s'aidw'rappe'r having-a tubular portionproject proper location 'of the package for folding the open end of the wrapper, and a stationary guide opposite said movable member arranged'torengage the entering package for assuring the proper entry thereof between said members, said stationary guide being perforated, and a folder movable through said perforation for folding down one flap of the projecting tubular portion'of the w pp r- I 2. In a packagingmachine, the combination with members arranged to admit a packagehaving a wrapper; enclosing'the "girth and on'e'end thereof, said wrapping having a tubular portion projecting from the other end of the-package, of

means for moving one of said members in a direction to meet the package being inserted and move along with saidpackage until it is fully inserted between said members to assure the proper location of the packagefor folding the open end of the wrapper, and a stationary guide opposite said movable member arranged to engage the entering package for'assuririg the proper entry thereof between saidmembers; said stationary guide being perforated and-a folder .and'a paster movable through said perforation for respectively folding down one flap of the'projecting tubular portion of the wrapper'and applying paste to the inner face of" the opposite'flap'of said tubular wrapperportion'. p i r 3. In a packaging machine, the. combination with members'arranged to admit a package having fron one end of the package, of a stationary 5 tom plate 233. While enteringsaid delivery chute,

method'employed of folding the end'flapsimme diately after applying paste to the same assures a betterseal and thereby eliminates waste resulting frombadly sealed packages.

The guide rail'232of the delivery chute is also equipped witha heating element 232a (Fig.1) wvhichassures a quicker dryingof-the paste and permits a qni'cker'removalof the finished package 0 from "the machine. :All defectivezpackages,

which are elevated by plunger'229 to, the upper pusher plate. 226 on to a bottom guide rail 283 (Fig. 1) from which said packages are removed by the, hand of the operator, In caseno paste is desired, when the label forms a pouch for the packa e, the pasteapplying device can easily be prevent application of paste to the'plate 264 when no package is ejectedinto the range of action'of thenozzles, a recess 294 is formed in the operative face of the plate to admit the 'valve heads proj truding from the nozzles, whereby the valves will 7 projecting from the other end of the package, of

guide arranged to engage and'guidea package entering between said members, said guide being perforated, and a folder movable thrcugh'the perforation in said guide for folding down one of thej'fi aps {of said tion, "i; In' a packaging machine, the combination projecting tubular wrapperlporwith me. rbers arrangedto admit'a packagehaving a wrapper enclosingthe girth and end there- 'gu'i'derails 221 and 228, are pushed forward by removed by disconnecting link 252 and detaching "bridge bracket 249 from the main frame-H5. To end of the package, devices for tucking opposed of, said wrapper having'a tubularportion projecting from one end of'the-packageyof a stationary =guide arranged to engage and guidea package f entering between said members, said guidebeing perforated, and a folder and a paster movable throughsaid perforation for respectively 1 folding down oneflap of the said projecting tubu- "larlportion ofthe wrapper andrapplying'paste to the inner'fa'ceof the'oppositefiapofsaid tubular wrapper portion;

5. In a packaging machine, the combination with an abutment arranged to engage the closed end of a package having a wrapper enclosing the girth and one end thereof, said wrapper having a: tubular. portion projecting from the other tion to supportsaid outer flap during the application of'paste to its inner face. 1

6. In a packaging machine, .the combination with :an abutment arranged to engage the closed end of a package having a wrapper enclosing the girth and one end thereof, said wrapper having 9.

- tubular portion projecting from the other end of the package, devices for tucking opposed flaps '7. The combination with a device for applying adhesive to one face of an outstanding flap of a wrapper enclosing the girth of a package, of a member adapted to engage the other face of said flap and support the same during the application of adhesive, and means for moving said member in and out of flap-supporting position, said member having a recess in the portion of its operative face coinciding with the portion of the flap to which adhesive is applied by said device to prevent application of adhesive to said member by said device when no wrapper is interposed between said member and device 8. The combination with a device for applying adhesive to one face of a wrapper enclosing the girth of a package, of a member adapted to engage and support the other face of said wrapper and the adjoining corner of the package, and means for moving said member in and out of operative position, said member having a recess in the portion of its operative face coinciding with the portion of the flap to which adhesive is applied by said device to prevent application of adhesive to said member by said device when no wrapper is interposed between said member and device.

9. The combination with a set of members spaced apart sufiiciently to admit a package therebetween, said package having a wrapper enclosing the girth of the package and having a tubular portion projecting from one end thereof, one end of said members coinciding with the end of the package from which said tubular wrapper portion projects, a pair of folders rotatable about an axis coinciding with the ends of said members adjacent said tubular wrapper portion and having faces extending radially from said ends of said members, and means for rotating said folders about said axis to cause said faces to fold the tubular wrapper portion.

10. The combination with a delivery chute, of a chamber aligned with said delivery chute and arranged to admit apackage, supports overlying said chute, a reciprocable pusher having upper and lower faces adapted to advance packages respectively on to said supports and out of said chamber, a lifter intermediate said chamber and chute, means for actuating said pusher to cause the lower face thereof to eject a package from said chamber on to said lifter, and mechanism for elevating said lifter with the package thereon to permit the upper face of said pusher to advance the elevated package on to said supports simultaneously with the ejection of the next package from said chamber by said lower face.

11. The combination with a support for a package having a wrapper enclosing its girth and projecting from one end thereof, of a pair of tuckers rotatable about axes coinciding with the corners of a package from which said tubular wrapper portion projects and having operating faces extending from said corners outward radially from said axes, and means for rotating said tuckers about said axes to tuck said tubular wrapper portion. a

12. The combination with a support for a package having a wrapper enclosing its girth and projecting from one end thereof, of a pair of tuckers rotatable about axes coinciding with the corners of a package from which said tubular wrapper portion projects and having operating faces extending from said corners outward radially from said axes, and means for rotating said tuckers about said axes to tuck said tubular wrapper portion, said means including shafts whose centers coincide with said axes, said tuckersbeing mounted on said shafts, and gear segments intermeshing with each other and mounted on said shafts.

13.'The combination with a support for a package havinga wrapper enclosing its girth and projecting from one end thereof, of a pair of tuckers rotatable about axes coinciding with the corners of a package from which said tubular wrapper portion projects and having operating faces extending from said corners outward radially from said axes, and means for rotating said tuckers about said axes to tuck said tubular wrapper portion, said means including shafts whose centers coincide with said axes, said tuckers'beingmounted on said shafts, and gear segments intermeshing with'each other and mounted on said shafts, said shafts being adjustable away from each other, and said gear segments being adjustable radially outward on said shafts to maintain them in intermeshing relationship.

CHARLES ARELT. 

